Let us not bury the lead here. I have been writing about personal technology since the mid-1980s, and now I am going to stop doing that. The time has come to move on. On May 2, I began a new job at the Houston Chronicle as the Senior Web Producer for Premium Products. What that …

A few months ago, I decided to give the Roku 3 streaming box a try. After using it side-by-side with the Apple TV, I have to say that I’m glad I didn’t try it back in June, because it would have made the decision that much more difficult. In many ways, the Roku 3 is superior to the Apple TV. …

LAS VEGAS – Saratoga’s Roku is here at the International CES to introduce Roku TV, the next generation of its streaming media players. The difference is instead of a stand-alone device that plugs into a TV monitor, the Roku TV embeds the platform into new TV monitors. The first models will be made by TCL, […] …

LAS VEGAS – The 2002 sci-fi flick “Minority Report” gave tech fans a glimpse of a future when access to a computer was as simple as reaching out with our hands to grab and move virtual 3D files in the air. On Sunday, a San Francisco startup named SeeSpace emerged from stealth mode here at […] …

At last! The Friday open comment thread has returned (I was on vacation last week), and you’re the beneficiary. In case you forgot, here’s how it works: You post a comment about anything having to do …

Just before the start of Christmas week, I wrote that I was considering dropping the daily Linkposts here. They take a lot of time for the traffic they get, time I’d like to spend on my primary job at …

Owners of devices that use Google’s Android operating system have long complained about not getting timely updates. That’s because, once Google releases a new version of Android, both the handset maker and the carrier get a shot at tweaking the software, updating their included apps, then testing and certifying it for specific devices.

It turns out this process is ridiculously complex. Handset maker HTC, in a burst of transparency, has outlined in an infographic what it takes to get an Android update out the door. It isn’t pretty.

Done an audit of your communications costs lately? If you have not, you should. We looked at what we were paying for Comcast Internet service and found prices had changed. By bundling phone service, dropping our AT&T landline and insisting on a lower price for Internet service, we saved $90 a month. …

• Tech firms push back against White House efforts to divert NSA meeting – The White House wanted to focus the meeting of top tech executives – including Tim Cook of Apple, Eric Schmidt of Google and …

The “second screen” phenomenon – in which people watch television while also using a laptop, smartphone or tablet – has become a key trend in the media business. But despite the buzz around the second screen, the reality is that it’s not something practiced by much of mainstream America. A new year-end report by Nielsen highlights the stark difference between what’s popular on Twitter and what’s popular for the masses. …

• NSA phone surveillance program likely unconstitutional, federal judge rules – The judge has delayed a preliminary injunction on the phone metadata collection program until the government can appeal. …